a time for patience

had another saturday with heather.  she came bearing gifts of bagged salads, peanut butter, watermelon and a new package of wipes.  i haven't showered since june 1st, but i've wiped if you know what i mean.  still, i can only imagine right now, the delicious feeling of water running all over my body.  one day, one day. 

limited in physical adventures, we resort to adventures with food.  this time we tried out this place called japataco. we both got chicken karage tacos and bbq beef yakuniku tacos.  heather got pork tonkatsu and another chicken karage.  i got a takoyaki one and a prawn one.  they were all good. kind of a cousin of bao but different.  we would only say a little less raw onion on the chicken karage please.

heather chopped up my pineapple and half the watermelon.  she emptied izzy's litter box and made it fresh for the izbot. then she vacuumed the carpet in the bedroom much to my delight and izzy's terror. she took down my bent camping cot and we hung out on the porch for a while, chatting, deadheading, fertilizing and watering flowers.

when i needed to come in to put my foot up we lounged in the bedroom.  i balanced a bowl of watermelon on my chest and indulged in that sweet pink perfection while h ate another of her tacos.  later we both had the coconot melona pops.  those are the ultimate best.  thick, smooth, nutty, milky, and icy. a coconut pop feels luxurious. 

before she left we washed my hair in the sink.  this is the best time yet.  i knelt on my scooter and heather climbed up on a stool.  i used only cold water which was shocking to sensitive heather.  i hung my head under the tap and after a brief vertigo spinning, we started. heather had an old peanut butter jar to fill up and pour over spots.  after a while we got wise and put the plug in the sink and let the water fill up so the ends would always be in water and eventually we turned off the tap and heather just scooped from the sink.  it was a funny sight for me to glance over the the left and see heather lounging on her side on the counter with the towel as her cushion. sometimes she would pour water that would wrap round my face in an icy wave that would make me gasp. delicious.  our goal was to make my hair soaking sopping wet.  it isn't as easy as you would think.  thanks dad, for your duck feathers dry hair.  but when i deemed it time, heather put a towel around my shoulders and i righted myself.  i sat in the rolling office chair (i mastered sitting and rising from the office chair on thursday!) and applied conditioner and then combed out the knots.  i knew from the juicy squelches that we had achieved a thorough soaking for the first time since surgery.  success.

we hooked up the dishwasher before heather left.  then i went to my bed and watched lucas on disney +.

back to the mastery of the office chair.  this is significant.  once i mastered it on thursday i was able to roll around the kitchen back and forth, with full use of my hands etc.  it makes cooking so much easier.  i was already cooking like that before surgery when i had a sore foot.  it also made it possible for me to mop up all of izzy's blood tracks in both the living room and the kitchen.  

theresa came to visit me on thursday night.  she wanted to have chinese food. "what kind of chinese food do you want?" i asked her.  we live in richmond, the choices in chinese food is almost infinite.  "white people chinese food." she answered.  haha.  um ok.  she wanted sweet and sour pork, chicken chow mein and spring rolls.  i added spicy squid and lemon chicken.  we had a feast.

later we retired to the bedroom. :) i had to put my foot up.  we chatted and chatted until i was like, we are talking in the dark.  it's ok if you turn on the light.  she left around ten thirty.

that's the big excitement in my week. i didn't go to church this week either.  i watched on zoom.  after church norm and billy came and gave me the sacrament.  bro deyell came too and i had another pre-surgery blessing which was nice. in a few days part 2 begins.

yesterday during my scripture study i was looking at patience and what does it mean.  some scriptures about patience seem to be more about being slow to anger.  like the kind of patience that quells road rage, for example.  another is patience in trial.  it's like submitting to the Lord and his will for me.  it's like allowing that what i am going through will be for my good and that i can endure it as long as needed.  patience seems to me, to be a component of faith.  james 1:2-4 says "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into ^adivers ^btemptations;  Knowing this, that the ^atrying of your faith worketh ^bpatience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be ^aperfect and entire, wanting nothing." and this made me think that patience is a polishing and perfecting tool.  that those times in my life when i need to be patient are designed for my good and my growth.

to be honest i am itching to be free of this particular burden and lesson.  i'm itching to be free.  to bolt out into the world again.  if i was free today i'd jump in sahib and drive with the music loud and all the windows down with my hair whipping in all directions.  i'd go to spanish banks or centenial beach and immerse myself in the joy of the cool waters and i'd stay for days.  i'd go for meandering photo walks and lose myself in tiny miracles of creation and huge sweeping vistas.  i'd catch the ferry and discover new glorious and gorgeous places and delight in my old favourites.  i'd go camping and lie under starry skies and live among old wise and mossy giants.  i'd laugh with sisters play with nieces and nephews, visit with my parents.  i'd set out on road trips, go anywhere and do anything i want.  i'd be free.

i guess one lesson i'm learning is how precious life and freedom is.  it's just one summer.  one summer--but it feels like everything sometimes.  i'm learning patience.  i have faith that this will end and i'll be stronger and better on the other side.  and the joy of being free and strong and able will be all the more sweeter because of the months on my bed, hobbling on one leg, struggling to do things, to reach things to be able.  and i'm learning about service from my friends who serve me so selflessly and consistently. i'm sure i have lots more to learn.  i'm trying to be open to whatever i'm supposed to gain from these experiences.

ehneweh, i leave you with a few of the pics i took of katie and family on may 15, 2021